The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for converting analog synchro signals to a signal which is representative of the status of a movable component, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus which uses a software-based digital signal processing circuit to generate a signal which is representative of the status of a movable component. The present invention is particularly effective in a servomechanism. A servomechanism is a system in which an input command controls a physical output. A servomechanism may be comprised of a mechanical output component which is moved in response to an electrical input command. The mechanical output component may be a shaft which is rotated about an axis in accordance with the electrical input command. For example, a common electrical motor has a rotor which is driven by an electrical input command to rotate about a stationary stator. In such servomechanisms, the electrical input command can function to rotate the shaft at a desired rotational velocity, to drive the rotor to a desired rotational position, or to apply a desired torque or tension to a load.
A servomechanism commonly includes a closed feedback loop. A closed feedback loop may compare the present electrical input command to a signal which is representative of the present status of the mechanical output component. If a variance exists between the two signals, an error signal is generated which tends to eliminate the discrepancy between the present status of the mechanical output component and the present electrical input command.
In applications which utilize servomechanisms, it is often necessary to know the precise status of the mechanical output component at any given point in time. The closed feedback loop described above tends to eliminate the variance between the present status of the mechanical output component and the present electrical input command. As a result, such a closed feedback loop provides a means to know the precise status of the mechanical output component.
Knowledge of the precise status of the mechanical output component can be used to improve the performance of the servomechanism. For example, the performance of a common electrical motor can be improved if the rotational velocity or position of the rotor is known. As mentioned above, a status signal may represent the present status of the mechanical output component. More precisely, a status signal may be an analog or digital electrical signal which is indicative of the mechanical output component relative to a predetermined starting or reference position. For example, a status signal may represent a position between 0 and 360 degrees, wherein 0 degrees is defined as the starting or reference position of the mechanical output component. For another example, a status signal may represent the angular velocity of the mechanical output component. For yet another example, a status signal may represent the torque of the mechanical output component. In conjunction with a closed feedback loop, a status signal can be used to improve the accuracy of the rotational velocity, position, or torque of a mechanical output component. In like manner, a status signal can be utilized to reduce undesirable torque ripple and improve the efficiency of an electrical motor by controlling the timing of the energizations and deenergizations of the windings of an electrical motor.
A synchro is one well-known device for generating electrical signals which bear a relationship to the status of a movable component. A synchro control transmitter is an example of a synchro. A synchro control transmitter accepts an analog reference excitation at its rotor terminals and produces a three-wire set of analog synchro signals at its stator terminals. The three-wire set of analog synchro signals is at the reference frequency. The amplitude ratios of the line-to-line voltages of the three-wire set of analog synchro signals are mathematically related to the angular position of a movable component relative to a reference position. As a result, the amplitude ratios of the line-to-line voltages of the three-wire set of analog synchro signals may be utilized by avionic instrumentation display units to determine the attitude or pitch of an aircraft.
In addition to the synchro control transmitter, a number of different synchro and resolver components can perform the same general function. In particular, synchro control transformers, control differential transmitters, transolvers, and Scott-T transformers may be utilized to generate electrical signals which bear a relationship to the rotational position of a rotor shaft. Similarly, transducers such as potentiometers, brush encoders, optical encoders, and RVDTs/LVDTs may also be employed to achieve the same general result.
The analog output signals from such components may be used to control the operation of a servomechanism. In addition, the analog output signals from such components may be converted to digital signals for subsequent use by a digital computing device, such as a microprocessor, to control the operation of a servomechanism. However, while effective for many applications, synchros can generate analog synchro signals which are not truly accurate representations of the status of a mechanical output component. For instance, errors may be generated in the structure of the synchro which can cause the analog synchro signals to vary in amplitude, offset, and quadrature. Errors may also be introduced when the analog synchro signals are processed by the other components in a servomechanism. Consequently, these errors can reduce the accuracy of a status signal.
Synchro-to-digital converter chips and other electronic hardware may be used to attempt to compensate for errors in the analog synchro signals. However, such hardware may only be effective for correcting errors that remain relatively constant over a period of time. These hardware devices may not be effective for correcting errors that vary over time. In addition, a relatively large number of these devices may be required in a servomechanism since these devices may only have a limited number of inputs and outputs. Consequently, these hardware devices may increase the cost and reduce the reliability of the servomechanism.
It is known to use digital signal processing technology to compensate for errors in the analog output signals from resolver components. Such technology can compensate for errors that vary over time as well as errors that remain relatively constant over a period of time. However, the current state of known digital signal processing technology cannot compensate for errors in the analog output signals from synchros.
In light of the shortcomings in the known art, there is a need to use software-based digital signal processing technology to correct errors in the synchro signals so that the status signal is truly representative of the status of a mechanical output component. A need also exists to use software-based digital signal processing technology to correct for constant and time-varying errors in the synchro signals. Another need exists to use software-based digital signal processing technology which can accept a greater number synchro inputs as compared to the known art. Similarly, a need exists for a generic card in the software-based digital signal processing circuit which is adapted to accept a plurality of inputs which are not limited to the specific inputs of a particular customer.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention accomplish some or all of these objectives. The present invention relates to a method and apparatus which utilizes a software-based digital signal processing circuit to generate a signal which is representative of the status of a movable component. A preferred embodiment of the software-based digital signal processing circuit preferably improves the accuracy of a servomechanism. A preferred embodiment of the software-based digital signal processing circuit may also reduce the cost of the servomechanism by eliminating the need for special synchro-to-digital converter chips or other error-correcting hardware.
A preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention includes a synchro which is connected to a movable component. An analog reference excitation may be generated, or a digital reference signal may be generated and converted to an analog reference excitation by a digital-to-analog converter or any other suitable device. The analog reference excitation is applied to the synchro, and the synchro generates analog synchro signals which bear a relationship to the status of the movable component. The analog synchro signals are converted to digital synchro signals by a plurality of analog-to-digital converters. If necessary, the plurality of analog-to-digital converters may also convert the analog reference excitation to a digital reference signal. The digital synchro signals and the digital reference signal are provided to a software-based digital signal processing circuit which preferably corrects constant and time-varying errors in the digital synchro signals and generates a status signal which is representative of the status of the movable component. For instance, the status signal may represent the angular position of the movable component. A different embodiment of the status signal may represent the angular velocity of the movable component.
The software-based digital signal processing circuit may include a microprocessor. The software-based digital signal processing circuit may simultaneously accept multiple sets of synchro signals. In fact, a preferred embodiment of the software-based digital signal processing circuit may accept approximately 88 sets of synchro signals. Consequently, a preferred embodiment of the software-based digital signal processing circuit preferably eliminates the need for discrete synchro decoders for each set of synchro signals.
In addition, a preferred embodiment of the software-based digital signal processing circuit utilizes a software algorithm to correct for constant and time-varying errors in the digital synchro signals. For instance, a preferred embodiment of the software-based digital signal processing circuit may factor out signal attenuation, insure quadrature, and/or reduce phase shift variation of the digital synchro signals prior to determining the status signal.
A generic card may be used in the software-based digital signal processing circuit. The software algorithm may be stored on a card separate from the generic card. The generic card is preferably adapted to accept a plurality of inputs which are not limited to the specific inputs of a particular customer. As a result, the same type of generic card may be used for substantially all customers even though they may use different inputs, thereby eliminating the need for a special card for each customer or each type of inputs. With a preferred embodiment of the generic card, only the software needs to be reconfigured to adapt the generic card to handle the specific inputs of a particular customer. The software may be reconfigured in the field by reprogramming a flash EPROM. The generic card preferably does not have to be removed from the chassis or replaced in order to reprogram the flash EPROM.
In addition to the novel features and advantages mentioned above, other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following descriptions of the drawings and preferred embodiments.